title: Serum concentrations of anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies in children and adolescents without apparent thyroid disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The age-dependent prevalence and clinical relevance of anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) and anti-thyroglobulin (TGAb) antibodies in children and adolescents without thyroid diseases are unknown. The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of these thyroid autoantibodies in a large cohort of hospitalized and out-patient subjects. Additionally, we investigated the correlation of TPOAb and TGAb with thyroid parameters as well as with putative confounding parameters such as standard deviation scores (SDS) of height, BMI-SDS and CRP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples from 841 patients with non-thyroid related diseases between 1 day post partum and 20 years of age were used in a cross-sectional study. TPOAb, TGAb, thyroid parameters (TSH, fT3, fT4 and thyroglobulin) and CRP were measured by the Modular System (Roche, Mannheim).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The values of TPOAb and TGAb showed an age-dependent maximum of antibody frequency for both genders during the first year of life with concentrations of 163 IU/mL and 161 IU/mL in the 95th percentile. In girls, a second maximum was observed during puberty with concentrations of 82 IU/mL TPOAb and 582 IU/mL TGAb in the 95th percentile. Both antibodies correlated significantly (p<0.05) with each other, with fT3, fT4, BMI-SDS (only TPOAb) and CRP and TSH (only TGAb).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of TPOAb and TGAb was shown to be age-dependent with increased values in the first year of life and during puberty. The increased "physiological" concentrations of TPOAb and TGAb have to be considered when used as diagnostic indicators of autoimmune thyroid disease in a paediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department for Women and Child Health, University Hospital Leipzig, Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taubner
authors.affiliation: Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital, Paul-List-Str. 13-15, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department for Women and Child Health, University Hospital Leipzig, Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pulzer
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department for Women and Child Health, University Hospital Leipzig, Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfaeffle
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department for Women and Child Health, University Hospital Leipzig, Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital, Paul-List-Str. 13-15, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thiery
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department for Women and Child Health, University Hospital Leipzig, Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Wieland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiess
authors.affiliation: Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital, Paul-List-Str. 13-15, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: kraj@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kratzsch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology*; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000276:immunology*; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase
keywords: AIT; Adolescents; CV; Children; Infants; NACB; National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry; Reference intervals; SDS; TG; TGAb; TPOAb; Thyroid; anti-thyroglobulin antibody; anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody; autoimmune thyroiditis; coefficients of correlation; standard deviation score; thyroglobulin